I told you guys about Audible and my new-found love for audio books a few months ago. With my first credit, I purchased The Fault in Our Stars, which you can read all about here.

Currently, I’m listening to The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

For my second audio book, I decided to go with yet another young adult read for a few reasons. The first being this: I want the books I choose to listen to, to be as entertaining as possible, to have a different readability than say, the books I might actually read. Audio books have become a really important part of my day – they make my quiet drive to work more pleasant, they make my stressful drive home more calming , and essentially, they give me time – about an hour each day – to not have to be the one doing all the thinking. Listening to books is obviously very different than reading them. I have to put a disclaimer here that I think reading books is always going to be my favorite, but is there always time and energy for this? No.

Can any of you relate? I don’t think it really depends on what type of work you do, whether you’re single or married, a parent or not, have a million extra activities or tons of free time, I think that often, the majority of the time we spend awake is very thought- and process-driven – even if we’re on auto pilot, even if the things we are constantly deciding on, or thinking about, have become second nature. This hour has become what I suspect most people find during long runs or yoga sessions.

So, another reason I chose a young adult book for a second time, is because I love the YA narrators on Audible. You’ll have to listen to really understand what I mean, but it’s very cool to listen to a young voice read the thoughts of a young mind. Especially since I think at 24, I’d be reading it very differently, often forgetting what it’s like to be 16, and perhaps placing my own experience where it doesn’t belong.

About the Book
The book is written in a series of letters written by 16-year-old Charlie to an anonymous friend (at 2/3 through the book, I still don’t know who). It covers everything I recall about high school: isolation, making friends, experimenting with drugs and sex, falling in love, making mistakes, dealing with past trauma, losing friends, not being understood by your family and so on. It’s dark, but Charlie is a lovable, inexperienced character who makes all these dark situations seems light and almost comical. I’m very close to finishing the book and I’m sad to see it end.

I am also finishing up Rockabye by Rebecca Woolf on my Kindle and just started the hard copy of Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo. OH and, I just added a “Books” tab up at the top of the blog so you can go through past book reviews.

What have you been reading lately – I can always use recommendations? Have you tried audio books since we last chatted about it?